Apparatus for and method of folding collars



April 18, 1950 M. LUKE 2,504,934

I APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF FOLDING COLLARS Filed March 25, 1948 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY Zzz/Ke M. LUKE APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF FOLDING COLLARS Filed Mazch 25, 1948 A ril 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

dZZ rn q Patented Apr. 18, 1950 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF FOLDINGCOLLARS Mutang Luke, New York, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to KokchongLew, New York, N. Y.

Application March 25, 1948, Serial No. 17,075

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to means for folding or shaping shirt collars andhas for its primary object the provision of a simple, sturdy andeffective mechanism by which the collars of laundered shirts will beshaped or folded uniformly, speedily and effectively with a minimum ofeffort on the part of the operator.

At the present time, after being laundered, the collars or shirts, areshaped in two ways. The first way of shaping the collar is that known asthe stand-up formation in which the collar has its back wall or neckbandrising substantially at right angles to the plane of the body of theshirt. This disposition of the collar has certain disadvantages, one ofwhich is the fact that the collar, arising from the body of the shirt asabove described, increases the depth or bulk of the shirt, thusrequiring it to consume considerable storage space not only when theshirts are packed for travelling, but when stored in the drawer of awardrobe, or when packed in boxes for delivery by a laundry. Anotherdisadvantage of the type of collar arrangement above described is thefact that the collar must usually be supported by an inserted cardboardstrip, the placement thereof requiring time and effort on the part ofthe laundry employees.

The second collar arrangement and that which is generally preferred, isone in which the collar is maintained fiatwisely with respect to thebody of the shirt, or in other words, has the neckband portion of thecollar maintained flat in the same p anar relation as the body oftheshirt. the collar being transversely folded on divergent lines sothat it lies flatly against the body of the shirt. To iron or press acollar into this position by hand operation requires skilled workmanshipand the folds across the collar must not be sharply defined lest theyappe r bodly in the collar while it is worn. Consequently the effort andtime involved to shape a collar by hand ironing into the flat formdescribed, causes some expense and is not often resorted to bylaundries. On the other hand, the formation of the collars into the flatarrangement described is very advantageous, since shirts with collars soformed can be very compactly packed and stored; the collars are notlikely to becomecrushed or wrinkled when the shirts are stacked ontop ofone another; the number of boxes required for containing a verysubstantial number of the shirts is greatly re duced, and various otheradvantages are apparent to those skilled in this art.

It is, therefore, an object of the present inven tion to provide anapparatus by means of which paratus by means of which the shaping andfolding operation can be very rapidly performed, thus reducing theexpense of the shaping or folding operation very materially.

' These and other objects are attained by the invention, a moreparticular description of which will hereinafter appear and be set forthin the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a collar shapingmechanism constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with parts broken away, andother parts shown in sect-ion to disclose construction;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the collar portion of a shirt, showingthe manner in which the .collar is shaped by the improved shapingmechanism;

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the under side of the shaping mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing how the shaping elements engagethe collar of the shirt to stretch and fold the same, and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one of the shaping members. V

Referring to the drawings, attention is directed'to the fact that whilecertain parts of the apparatusherein shownare known in this art, suchparts being shown, for example in U. S. pate t to Campbell, No.2192,7813 dated March 5, 1940, the present invention involves anapparatus and method by which a collar is shaped and folded in a mannerwholly different from that disclosed in the above patent. In thedrawings, l indicates a flat top plate, provided with a transversegroove or well In for the reception of a stack of shirt-securing stripsor paper bands which areplaced about the shirts folded by parts of theapparatus not herein shown. The top plate 'i is usually secured to orforms an extended .portionl'of a table on which the shirt is folded,such'table not being shown herein since it forns no part of the presentinvention and is well known in this art.

In shaping the collar according to the present invention, the shirtwhich has previously been ironed, and which is to be folded and bandedfor delivery, is placed face downwardly on the top plate in such aposition that the collar of the shirt will extend into the opening llprovided in the top plate for engagement by the sham and ironingelements located in said opening operating in a manner to be described.

Located below the top plate is a supporting member 2 in the form of aplate having flanged side edges I2 and upturned ends 3 and 5, said endsbeing formed with the out-turned flanges '5 secured to the top plate Iby the bolts 5, was asbestos or similar heat-insulating material '5interposed between the flanges and the under side of the topplateFixedly mounted on the upper surface of the supportin member 2 is astationary pressing block |3, provided with a ioot portion I l, overwhich is posit oned a reinforcing plate l5. Screws l6, extending throughthe foot portion I4 and the plate l5, securely attach the block l3 tothe supporting member 2. Insulating material i! is located between thefoot it of the pressing block 4-3 and the upper surface of thesupporting member 2. At the top, the block i3 is formed with arelatively flat integral plate portion i8, across the upper face ofwhich the inner face of the neckband portion of the shirt collar isstretched in theact of shaping the collar. To enable the shirt collar tobe properly positioned across the top iii of the block l3, said top maybe provided with a shoulder 19, or a suitable mark or other indicatingelement to enable the operator to quickly place the collar in therequired position.

The stationary block I3 is internally electrically heated in any knownmanner such as by one or more thermal cartridges placed within it, thecurrent-conducting wires therefor being shown at and 2| in Fig. 4, saidwires leading from a suitable electrical outlet. Ventilat ng openings 83extend through the block l3, as seen in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3 is shown a shirt which has had its collar folded or shaped inthe manner in which the present invention operates on the collar. Itwill therein be noted that the neckband of the collar, indicated at isarranged to lie in the same plane as the body of the shirt, 9, portionof the latter being shown at 26. This disposition of the collar is knownas the flat-folded type and to secure this arrangement, the collar istransversely folded at the opposite sidesfas indicated by the fold lines21 and 28. While these fold lines are sufficiently defined to maintainthe collar flat-wisely with respect to the body of the shirtfit isdesirable that the .fold lines 2'! and 28 be not so sharp that they willbe visible as distinct creases across the collar while the shirt isbeing worn, but rather that they be well rounded. For the production ofthese two well-rounded folds 21 and 28, triangulated shaping or foldinelements shown generally at 29 and 3!! are employed, and these shapingelements enter the collar and are moved apart to draw the back portionof the collar fiatly across the top of the plate portion 18 of thestationary block i3, while the forward portion of the collar is beingsimultaneously urged in a direction to cause the inside of the collar toassume the substantially triangular form clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The shaping elements 29 and 30 are similar in shape, and each isprovided with a base or foot portion 3| slidably mounted on top of thesupporting member 2. Arising from the base portion 3| is a post 32on'which is the integrallyformed shaping head 33. It is to be noted that.39 being shown at 35.

the head 33 is provided with a rounded angular edge 34, the curvature ofwhich is clearly seen in Fig 1, and as the collar of the shirt isextended around and drawn smoothly about its edge it will be apparentthat a well-rounded but clearly defined fold 21 or 28 w ll be theresult. Each of the shaping members 29 and 3|! is internallyelectrically heated, as by a thermal cartridge, the current-conductingwires leadng to the cartridge for the shaper 22 being shown at 35 in Fg. 4, while the wires for the cartridge in the shaper A hole forventilation is provided at at in each of the shaping members 29 andllii.

Secured below the base portion 3! of the shapel-ement "30 is a plate 31,wh ch is located below the supporting member 2 and is attached to thebase portion 3! by screws or equivalent fasteners 38 extending through aslot 39 provided in the support ng member 2. Secured on the under sideof the supporting member 2 and extending transversely of the same is agrooved guide it in which the plate 37 is slidably mounted. Snce theplate 3l is connected to the base 3! of the shaping member 3 3, it willbe apparent that any sliding movement of the plate 3'! back and forth inthe guide 40 will be communicated to the shaping member 38 and the samewill be thus moved to or from the block l3 according to the direction ofmovement of the plate 31.

At 4| is a bell-crank lever having an arm 42 pivotally engaging a stud43 projecting from the plate 31. The bell-crank lever 4| is pivotal onastud M secured in the supporting member 2 and extending downwardly fromthe same. The second arm indicated at 45 of the bell-crank lever 4| hasits end pivotally connected to a slidable bar 46, wh ch is movable atright angles to the direction of movement of plate 4?. Said slidable bar46 is guided through a central portion of the guide member 40 and alsothrough a guiding strap 41 secured to the under side of the supportingmember 2 by the bolts 28.

.At one of its ends, the sliding bar 46 is provided with a rigiddownward extension in the form of a bar 49 provided at its lower endwith a clevis 50 in which is pivotally received the fiattened end of a,rod 5|. 'Said rod 51 extends through the notched end 52 of the lugportion 53 of a bracket 54 secured to the under side of the supportinmember 2 by the screws 8|. The opposite end of the rod 5| is pivoted at55 in the clevis'sed end of an L-sh'aped bar 56. Bar 56 is secured atthe lower end of a bar 51 which has its upper end pivoted at 58 betweenthe ears 59 formed on and extending from a bracket 60, secured by thescrews 61 to the end wall 4 of the supporting member 2. A lever 62connects the bar '56 with suitable treadle mechanism operative in amanner to be described. A coil spring 63 surrounds the rod 51 and hasone end bearing against a washer 64 located on the inside of the lug 53,and has its other end urged against nuts 65 which are threadablyadiustable on the threaded portion 66 of therod 5| to thereby regulatethe tension of the spring 63.

The shaping member 29 is slidably operative in a manner similar to itscompanion shaping member 30. That is to say, shaping member 29 isconnected to a plate 61 slidable in the guide 40, and said plate 6!carries a projecting stud 68 to which the arm 39 of a bell-crank-leverI0 is pivotally attached. The second arm H of the bell-crank lever 10 ispivotally attached to the sliding bar 46, and the bell-crank lever ispivoted on a stud I2 extending downwardly from the bottom of thesupporting member 2.

At 13 is indicated the front or forward shaping element of thedevice,the same having a head portion 14 integrally formed at the upperend of a post 15 which rises from a base plate 16. The base plate 16 issecured by screws or equivalent fasteners, one of which is shown at H,to the sliding bar 46, the screws passing through a slot 18 provided inthe supporting member 2. The front shaping element 13 need notnecessarily be heated, since its primary function is to stretch thecollar and thereby bring the back of the collar into close contact withth top face of the plate l8 of block l3 and to cause the collar toclosely conform to the edge portions 34 of the shaping members 29 and39. If it is found advantageous to heat the front shaping element I3,the heating of the same can be done in the manner explained with respectto the shaping shaping element to its limit in the same direction, andalso swinging the two bell-crank levers about their respective axes 44and 12 to cause them to slide the shaping members 29 and 30 in adirection away from one another and away from the block l3.

The operation of the device is briefly as follows: 1

When it is desired to shape the collar of a shirt, the operator placeshis foot on a suitable treadle which is connected to the lever 62, andpressure on the treadle will cause the bar 51 to be swung to the left asviewed in Fig. 2, forcing rod 5| in the same direction against thepressure of the spring 63. This causes the sliding bar 46 to move to theleft, which action moves the front shaping element 13 toward the forwardedge of the part [8 of the block I3. At the same time the shapingmembers 29 and 30 are moved toward block 13, and since the tops of thesemembers are reduced in thickness for a portion of their areas, asindicated at 80, these reduced portions can enter below the plateportion I 8 of the block 13. While pressure is maintained on the treadleto retain the parts 29, 30 and 13 in their retracted position, the shirtis placed face downward, with the top of th collar engaging against theshoulder IS on the plate l8. In placing the collar in position as abovedescribed, the collar is fitted around the shaping elements 29 and 39,and the front portion of the collar is fitted around the forward part ofthe front shaping element 13. As soon as the collar has been placed inposition as above described, foot pressure on the treadle is released,and the spring 63 will then become effective to slide bar 46 to theright, as viewed in Fig. 2, and this will move the front shaping element13 in the same direction and at the same time will cause the shapingmembers 29 and 30 to spread apart to the separated position shown inFigs. 1 and 5. This will tend to triangulate the inside opening of thecollar; the back of the collar will be drawn into intimate contact withthe upper face of the heated plate l8 and the collar will be drawnclosely around the rounded, inclined edges 34,

of the shaping members 29 and 30, providing a. well-defined but smoothlyrounded fold across the collar at the two points 21 and 28. While thecollar is being so shaped the folding and banding of the shirt can takeplace by the known elements associated with an apparatus of this kind,and then, when pressure is again applied to the treadle, the shapingelements will be slid into retracted position, allowing the shapedcollar of the shirt to be easily lifted off.

The collar of the shirt treated as above described, will be found to lierelatively fiat against the body of the shirt substantially as shown inFig. 3, while at the same time, the side folds 21 and 28 formed asheretofore described not be so pronounced as to be visible when theshirt is worn. At the same time, the shirt collar, being relativelyflat, will permit a large number of the shirts to be packed or stackedin small space and have other advantages apparent to those engaged inthe laundry trade. By the employment of the apparatus described, thecollars can be prepared in this highly advantageous manner at slightexpense and in an efficient and uniform manner.

Having described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that thesame is not to be restricted thereto but is broad enough to cover allstructures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for shaping shirt collars comprising, a central supporthaving a substantially flat upper surface over which the inside face ofthe back of a shirt collar is stretched, a heated shaping member locatedon each side of the central support and fitted within the collar, afront shaping element fitted within the collar at the front thereof,means for heating the central support and the side shaping members, andmeans for moving the shaping members apart and for moving the frontmember forwardly to thereby stretch the collar across the top of thecentral support and to draw it about the edges of the shaping members.

2; An apparatus for shaping shirt collars comprising, a flat-top heatedsupport, a pair of heated slidable shapers between which the support islocated, means for moving the shapers to and from the support, each ofsaid shapers having a tapered inclined edge fitting against the insideof a shirt collar while said collar is stretched across the top of thesupport, the inclined edges of the pair of shapers extending divergentlyfrom the top end of the support, and a front shaper entering into theinside of the collar and tensioning the collar across the top of thesupport and around the inclined edges of the shapers.

3. An apparatus for shaping shirt collars comprising, a stationaryheated block having a relatively flat upper face over which the insidesurface of a shirt colar is placed, a plurality of heated ironing andshaping members entering inside of the shirt collar, means for causingsaid shaping members to be simultaneously moved toward or away from oneanother, so that the same, upon their movement away from one another,act to stretch the back of the collar across the top of the block andbring it into the same plane as the back of the shirt to which it isattached.

4. An apparatus for shaping shirt collars comprising, a stationaryheated block having a relativelv fiat upper surface over which theinside surface of a shirt collar is placed, a plurality of heatedironing and shaping members entering inside of the shirt collar soplaced, means for causing said members to be simultaneously eataaeae 1:7 :8 moved-a-either toward or:- away, from' one another, prisinglaheated. central isupportaa ainstnwhich Qso that the ,same, upon theirmovement away the insidelsurface .ofthe back of a nshirtzcoilarl is fromone; another, actito stretch-the back of the positioned, .a pair;'ofvtriangulatedishaping blocks TQQIISJHBICPQSS, theatop ,of .the block,and bring it movable toand fromrthelsidesrof the. central sup- ;int-thesame planeg-as .the backotthenshirt to F L-PQI ajfrontshapinglblockmovable towardand -whieh it is vattached, one ofthershapingmem- .maway'from-the. front of the central-.support the {hers-beingmovable .at rightvanglestto the others several shaping .lblocks,entering into a collar and engaging,theuinside'front part: of, thecollar. lplaced face downwardly onthewsupport and 5.- An apparatus forshaping shirt collars com- .istretching. the co1lar..to maintain theinsidesurprising, a supp01t,;a heated-stationary block on orgf ace ofthe back of 1.the collarafiatwisely,against ,said-isnpport, a- -pair ofmovable ,heated shaping ;theheated,centra1 support and to form "theblocks, means for moving the latter blocks to-zand iopeninghof thecollar; into substantially triangular .fromythe .stationary block eachofthe movable jgiorination.

shapingblocks having a rounded, inclined outer v=8; Anappar'atus; forshaping shirt collarscomshaping edge -whereby.za;;shirt collar placed-0ver;15.D T1 i-I!g, ihea e r fimral supporth n .arflat -,th,e ;top faceofr-the-stationary blockpand having j ,top; provided with. a shoulderextending across itswinsideesurface engaged-bythe movable blocks 11%.apair ofiheated side blocks movable toward wjll be ,formed with Vrounded transverse folds by gorawayjfrom ttheucentral support, eachsideblock said edges ofrthe blocksgwhenv the movable blocks having. its.upper. end, terminating. on, a line with re-movedin a; direction awayfromrtherstationsaid shouldenreachside block havinga sideeldge \Jaryblock the"edges of the painof shapingv blocks extending angularlyoutwardly fromthe. top and extending divergently from theupper end ottheA. .;of.the ;centra1 support, a ,movable iront .shaper or stationary,block andaa,frontrengagin movable located [forwardly a. of a thecentral ,support and bloclrforengaging. inside of-thecollar-at the frontmovable to or from saidsupport, .the side blocks thereof and,drawingathe. side portions of the cole .,andtha front 'shaper beingsimultaneouslymovlaragainst the edgesof. the other .movableblocks.,uableylinva,sdirection awaylfromthencentral support r 6. An apparatusiorshaping ,shirtlcollarshcomtwhilefllocatedwithina.shirtrcollarzand.actingrto prising, aheated ,central support across .the top a. draw ,theinside facepf thelback portion .of, the face of which the inside surfaceof,;a@col lar is acollargfiatsagainst thetopjfaceofthencentralisuppositioned, a air of heated side blocks movableportwhile maintaining. the top edge -of, the ,colto,and. fromthevcentral rsupport, said side .blocks larragainst, theflshouldven onsaid support.

.entering into the shirtcollar and bytheinsep- .YMUTANGLUKEQ -aratingmovementtendingtodraw the .back of 5' the, collar-across the top frthe;central supportga :REFERENGES CITED 1-0. at Fight angles to the 1- Thefollowing references arezof recor-d'inlthe .rection of movement oftheside blocks, the, front m .Qf thistpatentz lshaper entering into thecollar at the front, thereof landon its-.movementsaway irom thecentralUNITEDSTATES PATENTS v supporttending vtoldraw the collar snugly aroundNumber "Name Date .theside edges of.the side blocks and causing1f',35l;079 *Waream' et a1 ='Aug;'31,'1920 rounded transversefoids.tobeiproducedacross 323172357 *Steele ;Sept. 12; 1939 the collar andcausing the collarto be positioned 2, 2, 86 "Campbell a 40 flatwiselywith respect to rthegbodytof the shirt 32361261 Bicknellget a1. Ja 1945to which it is attached. 23691507 gReick Feb.'13,;1945

- 7., An apparatus fonshaplngrshirt collars com-

